1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an operating element, by which printed circuit board modules with electronic circuits can be levered into or removed from a support system, with little application of force.
2. Description of Related Art
Similar operating elements have been employed for a considerable length of time and are known in various conventional embodiments. A widely used embodiment of such an operating element is taught by European Patent EP 0 330 957 B1. It is called a plug-in and removal aid and is part of a front system for plug-in modules which can be pushed into a module support. The plug-in and removal aid has a lever, which is rotatably seated on an end piece. An operator can actuate the plug-in and removal aid by the lever and can effect the levering in or out of the plug-in modules by appropriate pivoting. To achieve these movements, the lever has a groove, the outer edges of which are designed as protrusions. During the levering in or levering out movement, the protrusions are supported on corresponding edges of the module support, in particular on transverse connecting rails of the module support.
In connection with particular uses, the elements of an operating element, in particular those which take part in the levering in and/or levering out of a printed circuit board module, can be subjected to special stresses. This can be because of many repeated levering in and out processes. Also, special stresses can occur because it is necessary to overcome particularly high plug-in or pulling forces during the levering in or levering out process of a printed circuit board module. These can be the result of plug connectors which are attached to an edge of the printed circuit board module, and which have a large number of contact poles. Because of the increasing integration of electronic components and the increase in bit widths of digital data busses, the numbers of poles of plug connectors, in particular on printed circuit board modules supporting digital processors, show increasing values.